US: 22-Year-Old IIT Madras Alumnus Saketh Sreenivasaiah Found Dead 6 Days After Going Missing In California

A 22-year-old Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah, pursuing a master’s at the University of California, Berkeley, was found dead in California six days after going missing. His body was recovered near the campus following a search around Lake Anza and the Berkeley Hills. The Indian Consulate in San Francisco confirmed the news and is assisting with repatriation of his remains to India.

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IANS Updated: Sunday, February 15, 2026, 08:45 AM IST
Saketh Sreenivasaiah | IANS

Saketh Sreenivasaiah | IANS

New Delhi: A 22-year-old Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah, has been found dead in California, six days after he went missing.

Sreenivasaiah, a native of Karnataka, was pursuing a master’s degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He was last seen on February 9, around a kilometre away from the campus, prompting a citywide search around Lake Anza and the Berkeley Hills areas.

The Indian Consulate in San Francisco confirmed that local authorities recovered his body and assured that all necessary assistance would be provided to repatriate his remains to India as soon as possible.

The Consulate posted on X, “The Consulate deeply regrets to inform that local police have confirmed the recovery of the body of the missing Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones during this profoundly difficult time.

The Consulate stands ready to provide all necessary assistance to the family, including coordination with local authorities and arrangements for the repatriation of mortal remains to India at the earliest. Our consular officers are in direct contact with the family and will support them with all required formalities and services.”

During the search, a backpack containing Sreenivasaiah’s passport and laptop was found near a residence close to Tilden Regional Park, not far from the university campus. Community members also mobilized online, creating a Reddit thread to coordinate efforts and aid in locating him.

Sreenivasaiah, an alumnus of IIT Madras, had attended Bengaluru’s Sri Vani Education Centre for his schooling. He is described as six feet one inch tall, weighing about 160 pounds, with short black hair and brown eyes.

He was one of six inventors to hold a patent for a “microchannel cooling system for hyperloop and a method thereof,” according to his LinkedIn profile. Friends and colleagues remember him as a person of quick wit, humility, brilliance, and loyalty.

The recovery of Sreenivasaiah’s body marks a tragic end to a six-day search, with the Indian Consulate committed to providing all support for his family during this profoundly difficult time.

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)

Published on: Sunday, February 15, 2026, 08:45 AM IST

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